System and Method for Determining Usage of Work Implement

1. A system for tracking usage of a work implement, comprising: a movement characteristic sensor disposed on the work implement and configured to generate movement characteristic signals indicative of a movement characteristic of the work implement; a wireless transmitter disposed on the work implement and configured to transmit signals from the work implement to a system remote from the work implement; and a controller configured to: associate a unique identification number with the work implement; store a movement characteristic threshold; store a cycle time interval; receive movement characteristic signals from the movement characteristic sensor; determine whether movement of the work implement exceeds the movement characteristic threshold based upon the movement characteristic signals; increase a work implement usage time by the cycle time interval if the movement of the work implement exceeds the movement characteristic threshold; and transmit with the wireless transmitter the work implement usage time and the unique identification number to a system remote from the work implement; and wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially operate in a standard power mode and in a low power mode, in the low power mode, power to at least one of the movement characteristic sensor and the wireless transmitter is terminated.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the movement characteristic sensor is an accelerometer.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the movement characteristic sensor comprises a multi-axis accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the movement characteristic threshold comprises an acceleration threshold along each axis of the accelerometer.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase the work implement usage time by the cycle time interval if the movement of the work implement exceeds the acceleration threshold along any two axes of the accelerometer.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a current maximum acceleration along each axis during a measurement interval and a determination of whether the movement of the work implement exceeds the acceleration threshold is based upon the current maximum acceleration during the measurement interval.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to store a prior maximum acceleration along each axis during a prior measurement interval and the determination of whether the movement of the work implement exceeds the acceleration threshold is based upon a difference between the current maximum acceleration and the prior maximum acceleration.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the acceleration threshold is identical along each axis of the accelerometer.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller does not receive movement characteristic signals from the movement characteristic sensor when the controller is in the low power mode.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the movement characteristic sensor does not generate movement characteristic signals when the controller is in the low power mode.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter does not transmit the work implement usage time and the unique identification number to a system remote from the work implement when the controller is in the lower power mode.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein while in the low power mode, the controller is configured to operate a counter, compare the counter to the cycle time interval, and change to the standard power mode upon the expiration of the cycle time interval.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein after transmitting the work implement usage time and the unique identification number to the system remote from the work implement, the controller is configured to change to the low power mode.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the movement characteristic sensor, the wireless transmitter and the controller are battery powered.

15. A method of tracking usage of a work implement, comprising: associating a unique identification number with the work implement; storing a movement characteristic threshold; storing a cycle time interval; receiving movement characteristic signals from a movement characteristic sensor disposed on the work implement, the movement characteristic signals being indicative of a movement characteristic of the work implement; determining whether movement of the work implement exceeds the movement characteristic threshold based upon the movement characteristic signals; increasing a work implement usage time by the cycle time interval if the movement of the work implement exceeds the movement characteristic threshold; transmitting, with a wireless transmitter disposed on the work implement, the work implement usage time and the unique identification number to a system remote from the work implement; and sequentially operating in a standard power mode and in a low power mode, and terminating power to at least one of the movement characteristic sensor and the wireless transmitter while operating in the low power mode.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the movement characteristic sensor comprises a multi-axis accelerometer, the movement characteristic threshold comprises an acceleration threshold along each axis of the accelerometer, and further comprising increasing the work implement usage time by the cycle time interval if the movement of the work implement exceeds the acceleration threshold along any two axes of the accelerometer.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining a current maximum acceleration along each axis during a measurement interval and determining whether the movement of the work implement exceeds the acceleration threshold based upon the current maximum acceleration during the measurement interval.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising storing a prior maximum acceleration along each axis during a prior measurement interval and the step of determining whether the movement of the work implement exceeds the acceleration threshold is based upon a difference between the current maximum acceleration and the prior maximum acceleration.

19. The method of claim 15 , after transmitting the work implement usage time and the unique identification number to the system remote from the work implement, operating in the low power mode.

20. A machine, comprising: a prime mover; a ground-engaging drive mechanism operatively coupled to the prime mover to propel the machine; a work implement operatively connected to the machine; a movement characteristic sensor disposed on the work implement and configured to generate movement characteristic signals indicative of a movement characteristic of the work implement; a wireless transmitter disposed on the work implement and configured to transmit signals from the work implement to a system remote from the work implement; and a controller configured to: associate a unique identification number with the work implement; store a movement characteristic threshold; store a cycle time interval; receive movement characteristic signals from the movement characteristic sensor; determine whether movement of the work implement exceeds the movement characteristic threshold based upon the movement characteristic signals; increase a work implement usage time by the cycle time interval if the movement of the work implement exceeds the movement characteristic threshold; and transmit with the wireless transmitter the work implement usage time and the unique identification number to a system remote from the work implement; and wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially operate in a standard power mode and in a low power mode, in the low power mode, power to at least one of the movement characteristic sensor and the wireless transmitter is terminated.